Apparatus for rotating cylindrical stock



United States Patent 3,360,976 APPARATUS FOR RSOTATING CYLINDRICAL TOCKFritz Ungerer, Pforzheim, Germany; Irma Uugerer, heir of said FritzUugerer, deceased, assignor to Irma Ungerer, Friedenstrasse 86,Pforzheim, Germany Filed Aug. 10, 1965, Ser. No. 478,606 8 Claims. (Cl.72-315) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus for rotating cylindricalstock comprising oppositely arranged pressure plates which are movablein parallel planes relative to each other.

This invention relates to an apparatus for rotating cylindrical stock,particularly straightening rolls, while the stock is being hardened.

It is known to feed cylindrical stock, such as shafts and rolls,particularly straightening rolls, through heating and cooling zoneswhile the cylindrical stock is being rotated and supported and guided atboth ends by two sets of three rolls. Such an arrangement is disclosedin the German patent specification 882,098. In this arrangement,hardening is effected by heating with an annular burner and subsequentquenching with annular nozzles while the workpiece is being rotated. Itis difficult and expensive to construct the sets of three rolls at bothends of the stock, particularly because hyperbolic pairs of rolls arepreferred.

These disadvantages are eliminated in a simple manner in that top andbottom pressure plates, which are movable in mutually oppositedirections, are provided beyond opposite ends of the heating and coolingzones and serve for guiding and supporting the cylindrical stock to behardened, and the bottom and top pairs of plates, or only the top pairof plates, are arranged to be moved in synchronism. This arrangementresults in a continuous rotation of the cylindrical stock while the sameis being fed through the hardening zone and is supported closely besidesaid zone. The feeding of the workpiece between the pressure plates maybe effected hydraulically or by pusher racks or the like.

The vertically adjustable pressure plates are preferably backed byrollers and may be movable in mutually opposite directions by a rockerlever, which is fulcrurned centrally of the plates, or by a rack andpinion drive, as will be explained more fully with reference to thedrawing, in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are a side elevation and top plan view, respectively,showing a first embodiment; and

FIG. 3 is a side elevation showing another embodiment.

As is apparent from the drawing, the cylindrical stock 1 is mountedbetween two top and two bottom pressure plates 2 and 3. These pressureplates are moved in mutually opposite directions by means of rockerlevers 4 (FIG. 1) or by a rack and pinion drive 5. The two top platesare moved in synchronism with each other and so are the two bottomplates. This results in a rotation of the stock 1 to be hardened. Thisstock is simultaneously pushed hydraulically or by means of pusher racksin its longitudinal direction through the heating and cooling zones,which are defined, e.g., by annular flame nozzles 6 and annular waternozzles 7 between the supporting plates disposed beyond opposite ends ofsaid zones. The pressure plates are mounted on rollers 8 and 9 supportedby supports 10 and 11 respectively and are vertically adjust- "ice ablefor adjustment to the diameter of the cylindrical stock 1 by movement ofsupports 10 and 11 in direction of arrows 12 and 13.

Instead of a movement of the top and bottom pressure plates 3 and 2 inmutually opposite directions, a reciprocating movement may be adopted,which is imparted only to the top pressure plates 3. In this case thestock to be hardened 1 is not rotated on a stationary axis but islaterally reciprocated at the same time so that the flame and spraynozzles must follow its movement. In this arrangement the stock to behardened 1 is supported up to a point which is in close proximity of thehardening zone and a deflection of such stock is reliably prevented. Thetotal structure and drive means of the machine according to theinvention is relatively simple.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for rotating cylindrical stock which is longitudinallymoving through a hardening zone, said apparatus comprising a top pair ofpressure plates, which are mounted beyond opposite ends of said zone, abottom pair of pressure plates, which are mounted beyond opposite endsof said zone under said top pair of pressure plates and verticallyspaced therefrom, and means for moving the pressure plates of said toppair in synchronism with each other parallel to and relative to thepressure plates of said bottom pair.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, which comprises means for movingsaid pressure plates of said bottom pair in synchronism with each otherand with the pressure plates of said top pair and in a directionopposite to the movement of the pressure plates of said top pair.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, in which the pressure plates of atleast one of said pairs are vertically adjustably mounted relative tothe pressure plates of the other of said pairs.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, in which said means for moving thepressure plates of said two pairs comprise rocker lever means, whichhave a fulcrum disposed in a horizontal plane extending centrallybetween said top and bottom pairs of pressure plates and one end ofwhich is coupled to one of said pairs of pressure plates whereas theother end of said lever means is coupled to the other of said pairs ofpressure plates.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, in which said means for movingsaid two pairs of pressure plates comprise top rack means pivotallyconnected to said top pair of pressure plates, bottom rack meanspivotally connected to said bottom pair of pressure plates, and pinionmeans in mesh with both said rack means.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, which comprises top roller meansengaging the top of said pressure plates of said top pair and bottomroller means engaging the bottom of the pressure plates of said bottompair.

7. Apparatus for hardening cylindrical stock, which comp-rises meansdefining a hardening zone, and apparatus for rotating cylindrical stockwhich is longitudinally moving through said hardening zone, saidapparatus comprising a top pair of pressure plates, which are mountedbeyond opposite ends of said zone, a bottom pair of pres sure plates,which are mounted beyond opposite ends of said zone under said top pairof pressure plates and vertically spaced therefrom, and means for movingthe pressure plates of said top pair in synchronism with each otherparallel to and relative to the pressure plates of said bottom pair.

8. Apparatus for treating cylindrical stock, which comprises meansdefining a treating zone, and apparatus for rotating cylindrical stockwhich is longitudinally moving through said treating zone, saidapparatus comprising a 4 top pair of pressure plates, which are mountedbeyond References Cited opposite ends of said zone, a bottom pair ofpressure UNITED STATES PATENTS plates, which are mounted beyond oppositeends of said 11 Zone under said top pair of pressure plates andvertically agg i i ggfii spaced therefrom, and means for moving thepressure 5 plates of said top pair in synchronism with each otherparallel to and relative to the pressure plates of said RICHARD HERBSTPrlma'y Examme" bottom pair. H. D. HOINKES, Assistant Examiner.

